Rising stars have world at their feet

Ken Borland

It was third time lucky for rising men’s stars Belgium, while the USA women’s team claimed their most significant international title as the Hockey World League concluded at the Wits Astro last night.

The USA’s greatest field hockey achievements had been a couple of third-place finishes at the 1994 World Cup and the 1984 Olympics. But they surpassed that by coming from 1-0 down to draw level 1-1 with Germany in regulation time and then prevailed 3-2 in the shootout.

The American heroes were goalkeeper Jackie Briggs, who kept them in the game in the first half and then defended superbly in the shootout, Kathleen Sharkey, who produced some brilliant runs in the final quarter and won the penalty stroke in the 58th minute which Taylor West converted to snatch the late equaliser, and 17-year-old Erin Matson, who calmly bagged the winner in the shootout.

Belgium finished fifth and second in their two previous World League appearances, but they claimed the men’s title in emphatic fashion with a 6-1 demolition of Germany.

Arthur van Doren, their key player, opened the scoring for them in the 14th minute as he showed great composure to rescue a short-corner that had gone wrong, but Germany equalised in the first minute of the second quarter through Tom Grambusch’s superb short-corner drag flick.

But Belgium went 4-1 up by halftime without breaking a sweat, through goals by Tom Boon, Amaury Keusters and a dazzling solo effort by Cedric Charlier.

Germany dominated the third chukka without being able to get a goal, and Belgium completed a memorable fortnight with a brilliant deflection goal by Charlier and a final score by Augustin Meurmans.

South Africa’s women’s team showed great composure to hang on for a 2-1 win over Japan and claim fifth place on Saturday.